| DOW: YTD: up 13.77; Dec: up 13.51%. Earlier in the month we helped with Brandon and Philly's children after his 3rd back surgery on the 19th. As of now (12/30/23), he's a bit better, but doesn't feel to him like it'll ever heal entirely. Ugh. Earlier we were also in CR to help with the grandchildren when Brandon went with Philly to Arizona for a medical CEU conference. I decided this month to look into Brandon having only to buy out 50% instead of 75%. I talked it over with MS and our CPAs (Dale and Brook) and mentioned it to Chip and all thought it would be the best choice. Brandon and I haven't been able to talk due to his health situation. MS and I had the Bible Study over for a lasagna Christmas Dinner on one Sunday night this month. We hung up a couple of paintings on our living room and hearth room walls to prepare for that. We went to the Saints Cafe for lunch one day and Whistle Stop for breakfast one time. At the CR office, Kristina quit after being written up by Valerie her boss. She'd found another job and there were no hard feelings, she said. Shannon's last day with us in Ames was the last day in November. Most of our plans for the holidays were reduced as I had the flu starting on Wed, the 20th, the day I interviewed Austin Cross til the end of the month. We hired him and he decided to go with us. We bought him a computer and office chair ($2500). He's been a student counselor at ISU recently and lives in Ames and seems to have been well received by everyone in our office. MS went to Brandon and Philly's for Christmas while I stayed home with the flu. |